Air-ship.



No. 723,636. PATENTBD MAR. 24,- 19.03.

J. BERRYJ AIR SHIP. APPLICATION IILED MAB. a, 1902. N0 MODE-L. 2 SHEETS-SHEET}.

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' PATENTED MAR. 24, .1903.

J. BERRY. AIR SHIP. APPLICATION FILED MAB. 3, 1902.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN BERRY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AIR-SHIP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,636, dated March 24, 1903.

Application filed March 3,1902. Serial No- 96,432. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, JOHN BERRY, of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air- Ships, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to air-ships; and it consists of the novel construction, combination, and arrangementof parts hereinafter shown, described, and claimed. I

The object of my invention is to provide an improved dirigible air-ship of the balloon type.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of an air-ship embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional side elevation of the hollow mast which extends from the basket to the top of the balloon and the same having driving mechanism and propellers attached thereto. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the upper endof the said hollow mast with the propellers detached. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the universal jointfor driving the upper propellers.

5 indicates a balloon made of the usual material, but preferably circular in plan view and composed of two sections each having substantially the shape of a common dinnerplate, and these sections are placed'together and have their marginal edges united, so that the balloon presents an oval shape in side view, as shown in Fig. 1. The balloon is stretched ouaframe 6, composed of the usual materials, for the purpose of holding the balloon in shape and to retain the parts in proper position. Passing centrally through the balloon is a vertical tube or hose 7. The balloon should of course be provided with the customary gas induction and eduction devices. (Not shown.)

Suspended from the balloon by means of the ropes or wires 8 is the basket 9. Mounted centrally of the floor of the basket 9 is a tubular mast 10, which is provided with a revoluble base 11, upon which is mounted a suitable motor 12, which is preferably made mainly of aluminium. The base 11 has a journal 13, which extends through the fioor of the basket and is provided beneath the basket with a suitable flange or other device whereby the said'mast may be revolved and retained in position;

14 and 15 indicate two propellers which are located at; the upper end of the said mast, said propeller 15 being mounted on the upper end of the shaft 16, which extends downwardly through suitable bearings 17 in the said mast and is provided at its lower end with a pulley 18, around which passes a belt 19, connected to the said motor 12. It is obvious, however, that this belt and pulley may be replaced by means of sprocket-wheels and chain or common gear wheels without departing from my invention. The propellers 14 and 15 are both designed to simultaneously propel the air-ship in the same direction; but they are arranged to revolve in opposite directions. It will be observed that the blades of the two propellers are therefore reversely set. The reverse motion is brought about by means of the following-described mechanism: The propeller l5 revolves loosely about the said shaft 16 and is supported by means ofa series of small rollers 20, which are mounted upon the brackets 21 at the upper end of the said mast 10, and the propeller-hub 22 is provided with a peripheral groove 23, in which said rollers run. *The under side of said hub 22 is provided with gear-teeth 24. Fixed upon the shaft 16 a slight distance below the said hub 22 isa gear-wheel 25, and mounted upon a stud 26 isa pinion 27, the teeth of which simultaneously engage the teeth of the said gear-wheel 25 and also those of said hub 22, so that when'the said shaft 16 is revolved the upper propeller 14 will move in the same direction, but the lower propeller will move in an opposite direction. The upper section of the mast 10 is separated at 28 from the main body of Said maSt'and provided with a hinge 29 at the joint, so that the propellers may be arranged at different angles relative to the air-ship. The shaft 16 is provided with a common universal joint 30 at a point just-below the joint-in the said mast.

31 indicates a suitable bracket secured to the exterior of the mast, so that its upper end projects in horizontal-alinement with the joint in the mast. 32 indicates an operating-rod which is secured at 33 to the hinged section of the said mast and extends down wardly to a point convenient for the oper- 35, by means of which said lever may be fixed in any desired position. 36 36 indicate guides on the said mast within which said rod operates.

The two propellers just described may be used both for elevating and depressing the air ship and for propelling the same in a horizontal direction.

I also provide what I term a traveling propeller 37, which is mainly for use when the air-ship is traveling in a horizontal plane, which is mounted vertically in a suitable bearing 38 upon the side of the mast 10 just a short distance above the basket 9 Upon the inner end of the traveling-propeller shaft 39 is a bevel gear-wheel 40, which meshes with another bevel gear-wheel 41, which is splined upon the shaft 16 by means of a feather 42, so that when the said shaft moves up and down during operation of changing the angle of the upper propeller it will still drive the said bevel gear-wheel 41. Slots or openings, such as 43, are cut in the lower portion of the said mast 10 for the passage of the belt 19.

The operation is as follows: The balloon 5 is to be fully inflated in the usual manner, and in making the ascent the upper propellers 14 and 15 are placed in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 2, so that they may assist in lifting the air-ship. The buoyancy of the balloon is only suflicient to counterbalance the weight of the air-ship,and therefore the swifter the said propellers 14 and 15 are revolved the faster the air-ship will rise. The motor 12 should of course be reversible in any usual manner, so that all the propellers maybe quickly reversed, if so desired. After the ship has reached the desired height then the said propellers 14 and 15 may be turned at any desired angle between a horizontal and a vertical line, such as that in which they are shown in Fig. 1. This is done by manipulating the hand-lever 34. By pulling said hand-lever downwardly the rod 32 will cause the upper hinged section of the mast 10 and the shaft 16, carrying the upper propellers 14 and 15, to be moved laterally upon their pivotal points, the said hinged section of the mast moving upon its hinge 29, and the said hinged section of the shaft 16 moving upon its universal joint 30, so that the movement of the said propellers will not be interfered with in changing the plane in which they may be revolving. By throwing the propellers into the position in which they are shown in Fig.,1that is, so that they will revolve in a vertical planethey will then assist the traveling propeller 37 in propelling the shipi-n a horizontal direction. When the hinged section of the mast 1O occupies a horizontal'position, it will rest upon the bracket 31, so that a prolonged trip in a horizontal direction may be made without the operator being compelled to support the weight of the upper propellers and their connections.

When it is desired to change the horizontal direction in which the air-ship is traveling, the operator stands upon the bottom of the basket 9 and grasps some portion of the mast 10 or the motor 12 and turns the said mast with relation to the said basket, thereby changing the position of the traveling propeller 37 and causing the air-ship to be propelled in a different direction.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided an improved air-ship which is very simple and reliable in its construction and operation and which may therefore be built at a comparatively low cost.

VVbat I claim is- 1. An air-ship having a balloon, circular in plan, and composed of two sections, each having substantially the shape of a common dinner-plate, and united at their marginal edges;

.a suitable interior frame for retaining the balloon in shape; a vertical tube or hose passing centrally through the balloon; a basket suspended from the balloon; a hollow mast extending upwardly from the basket through the vertical tube, there being a joint in said mast above the balloon, allowing the upper end of the mast to swing from a vertical to a horizontal line; means of operating and controlling said joint; a propeller at the upper end of said mast; a propeller-shaft extending from the propeller downwardly through said mast, and having a joint to correspond with the joint in the mast; and means of driving said propeller shaft, substantially as specified.

2,. An air-ship having a balloon; a vertical tube or hose passing centrally through the balloon a basket suspended from the balloon; a hollow mast extending upwardly from the basket through the balloon, there being a joint in said mast above the balloon; a propeller mounted at the upper end of the mast; means of operating said joint to swing the propeller from a vertical to a horizontal line; means of adjusting the propeller to any desired angle between a vertical and a horizontal line; and means of driving the propeller, substantially as specified.

3. An air-ship having a balloon, circular in plan, and composed of two sections, each having substantially the shape of acommon dinner-plate, and united at their marginal edges; a suitable interior frame for retaining the balloon in shape; a vertical tube or hose passing centrally through the balloon; a basket suspended from the balloon; a hollow mast extending upwardly from the basket through the vertical tube, there being a joint in said mast, above the balloon, allowing the upper end of the mast to swing from a vertical to a horizontal line; means of operating and controlling said joint; propellers at the upper end of said mast; the blades of one propeller being set the reverse of the blades of the other propeller; a connection between the propellers whereby they move in opposite directions; at propeller-shaft extending from the propellers downwardly through said mast,

IIO

and having a joint to correspond with the joint in the mast; and means of driving said propeller-shaft, substantially as specified.

4:. An air-ship having a balloon; a vertical tube or hose passing centrally through the balloon; a basket suspended from the balloon; a hollow mast extending upwardly'from the basket through the balloon, there being a joint in said mast above the balloon; propellers at the upper end of said mast; the blades of one propeller being set the reverse of the blades of the other propeller; a connection between the propellers whereby they move in opposite directions; means of operating said joint to swing the propellers from a vertical to a horizontal line; means of adjusting the propellers to any desired angle between a vertical and a horizontal line; and means of drivingthe propellers, substantially as specified.

5. An air-ship having a balloon; avertical tube or hose passing centrally through the balloon; abasket suspended from the balloon;

a hollow mast extending upwardly from the basket through the balloon, there beingajoint in said mast above the balloon; propellers at the upper end of said mast; the blades of one propeller being set the reverse of the blades of the other propeller; a connection between the propellers whereby they move in opposite directions; means of operating said joint to swing the propellers from'a vertical to a horizontal line; means of adjusting the propellers to any desired angle between a vertical and a horizontal line; means of driving the propellers; and a third propeller mounted upon -the mast below the balloon and con nected to the propeller-shaft, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix' my signatur in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BERRY.

Witnesses: v

ALFRED A. EIoKs, M. G. IRIoN. 

